Direct Selling News just dropped its annual 40 Under 40 list, and it’s packed with bold talent shaking up the industry. These game-changers are recognized for their leadership, disruptive ideas to shape the future of direct selling, and undeniable impact on the industry.
With poise, energy, and an unmistakable passion for excellence, Megan Gregg, Senior Counsel at Mary Kay Inc., delivers strategic legal guidance and commercial support to global business teams, with a particular emphasis on Mary Kay’s Europe region markets, helping multicultural teams navigate complex issues with confidence and integrity. Megan’s work, at the intersection of tradition and innovation, aims to keep the direct sales channel relevant, focusing on in-person and digital engagement, to meet independent Beauty Consultants and their consumers “where they are.”
We caught up with Megan to dive into her journey in direct selling, uncover the WHY behind her personal drive, and explore the unique factors that fuel her passion every single day.
Did you know?
- Mary Kay expanded into Europe in 1986 by opening its first European market in Germany. Currently, Mary Kay operates in 25 markets across Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Euro-Asia.
- Mary Kay has been named the #1 Direct Selling Brand of Skin Care and Color Cosmetics in the World[1] by Euromonitor International for three consecutive years, in 2023, 2024, and again in 2025.
Tell us about your current role. How did you get to this point in your career?
My role centers on protecting and advancing the Mary Kay business model for current and future independent beauty consultants. While this may sound simple in concept, the application of this responsibility varies from day to day depending on the legal hat I’m wearing on a specific day.
- While every member of the Mary Kay legal team has “primary responsibilities”, we have each been afforded the opportunity to jump in on projects that excite us, interest us, and speak to our legal strengths. For me, the legal hat I’ve found myself wearing most excitedly and consistently over the past five years is one that relates to the modernization of the Mary Kay selling opportunity.
- We work in an industry that was ahead of its time – direct selling was the original side hustle! My interest in modernizing the selling opportunity comes from the desire not to change the channel, but to adapt the channel in a way that best serves our independent beauty consultants’ businesses and meets the needs of today’s consumers. Consumers no longer exclusively exist at the kitchen table; they are online in some form or fashion. My question has been: while Mary Kay has always encouraged the use of the internet to facilitate sales, how do we adapt a tried-and-true business model by leveraging modern technology to meet independent beauty consultants’ customers where they organically are?
- The freedom to pose these reflective questions to leadership and their receptiveness to modernization has made my role at Mary Kay a joy. I feel as if I get to work on issues that will ultimately impact the livelihood of members of our independent sales force and preserve the attractiveness of the channel for independent beauty consultants and consumers alike. The organic evolution of my career at Mary Kay is one of the many reasons I love working for this company.
How were you introduced to Mary Kay?
- Direct selling created the idea of the “side hustle” before the term “side hustle” was even coined. Like many millennials, my mom attended her friend’s Mary Kay skincare parties when I was younger. I have fond recollections of the light pink eyeshadow palettes that sat in her makeup cabinet, but it wasn’t until I started doing research in preparation for my interview with Mary Kay (talk about a full circle moment!) that I understood the ingenuity and attractiveness of the business model. When I started working for Mary Kay eight years ago, I dove headfirst into the direct sales world and haven’t stopped advocating for or singing the industry’s praises since.
What about direct selling most excites and/or inspires you?
- Entrepreneurship requires courage and grit, which, to me, are two of the most inspiring qualities a person can possess, and direct selling attracts people with these character traits. Direct selling requires an initial ‘yes’ when there are no corresponding promises of success attached to that decision—to me, that is courage. Similarly, the same people who say ‘yes’ to a direct selling opportunity also tend to be the people who persevere, change, and grow in response to the unique challenges that accompany running a small business—to me, that is grit. I am inspired by these small business owners and feel privileged to protect their current and future opportunities. They are my WHY.
What’s one piece of advice or “pearl of wisdom” you could share to anyone starting out in a direct selling corporate career?
- Remember your WHY; remember why you are doing what you do on a day-to-day basis. When you can zoom out and pinpoint the underlying reason for your work, it refocuses your efforts on what ultimately matters.
- For me, my WHY is inspired by the WHO – I work hard to protect the independent sales force’s ability to run their own business to enrich their families’ lives. To me, there is nothing more fulfilling knowing that the work I do positively impacts others.
- I have found that the people who tend to talk poorly about the direct sales industry have never come face-to-face with someone whose life has been positively impacted by the channel. So, put the metaphorical horse blinders on and focus on your WHY and ignore the noise.
[1] “Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2025 Edition, value sales at RSP, 2024 data”